I Love You, But Not This: #1 The Wooden Birds - Magnolia (2009)

I’m having trouble wrapping my ears around far too many albums by artists I love as of late. This column is an attempt at understanding why.

(The Wooden Birds via Woxy)

The Wooden Birds - False Alarm

Sound reasons probably exist explaining why all anyone can say about The Wooden Birds is, “If you loved American Analog Set you’re likely to enjoy this band.” My guess: perhaps because The Wooden Birds, as a band, feel like an answer to the question “What do you do with the American Analog Set when you can’t do anything with the American Analog Set?”

“Percussive.” It’s the one word you’ll see repeated ad nauseum regarding The Wooden Birds. Once you get past the obligatory Neil Young head nods, the comparisons in vocal timbre to Ben Gibbard, reviews are awash with the word, “percussive.” This. Is. Sloppy. Criticism. The Wooden Birds two-step, they let the bass lead, they even boast a dedicated percussionist, and still, they are not what I would consider a percussive band. And I think the problem, in general, is that everything this band does will be criticized (or lauded, as it were) by what it does not. The Wooden Birds are not The American Analog Set. The Wooden Birds’ songs are not as keyboard-heavy as American Analog Set’s earlier songs and so must be “percussive.” However — and this the most glaring flaw with the band and the aforementioned branding — The Wooden Birds’ arrangements are nowhere near as interesting percussively as American Analog Set’s non-keyboard-heavy later songs.

Which songs? This song off American Analog Set’s superb 2005 Everything Ends In Spring EP.

American Analog Set - The Green Green Grass

‘Cause maybe you want him
Like you want me
Only truly
- American Analog Set “The Green Green Grass”

When I attended The Wooden Birds’ concert at Mercury Lounge on April 10th, Andrew Kenny’s bass, an Epiphone Thunderbird, bore the words “I’ll shoot you through a door” upon its pickguard. And I believed it. A 21st century promise of love. Unfortunately, for fans of the American Analog Set, every song played like “Choir Vandals,” except less memorable. In fact, the only time people enthusiastically moved was when the band launched into American Analog Set’s Know By Heart-favorite “Aaron and Maria.” According to Kenny, they make a point of playing at least one American Analog Set song per set; it’s clear why.

The former beauty of American Analog Set was their insistence on shaping a song around the rhythm of Kenny’s heartbeat, album after album. Vivacity. Playfulness. Sheepish flirtation. These were visceral qualities endearing American Analog Set to its numerous devotees. The Wooden Birds offer a meek, albeit earnestly warmhearted display of competence, and if that sounds harsh, good — it ought to — because there’s overwhelming evidence indicating these talented musicians are capable of much, much more than Magnolia.

As it stands, every Wooden Birds song plods along with a near-identical gait.

Don’t believe me? Visit The Wooden Birds’ Myspace page. Listen to the first 10 seconds of “Sugar.” Listen to the first 10 seconds of “False Alarm.” See what I mean?

If I’m sad, maybe it’s because all of The Wooden Birds’ songs sound like an apology without actually sounding apologetic…but maybe that’s too critical.

Not even American Analog Set started with Know By Heart.

[The Wooden Birds' Myspace, American Analog Set's Know By Heart]

Concert Review: The UZI RASH Group Band @ Cake Shop,
April 24th, 2009

The UZI RASH Group Band at Cake Shop
(Photos courtesy Nikki Ross)

The UZI RASH Group Band - High And Free

Believe me, I’m just as surprised as you. Initially, I’d wanted a reason to post these entertaining pictures Nikki took of the band that followed Julie Doiron at Cake Shop. Then I stumbled upon “High And Free” nestled between noise and noisier on The UZI RASH Group Band’s Myspace page.

The group put on quite a show, costumes aside. “High And Free” screams of Charlie McAlister (more on him later) so loudly I could swear the track was off Mississippi Luau.

This, people, is a monstrous compliment.

The rest of The UZI RASH Group Band’s music sounds nothing like this track, which is strange considering one of their blog entries describes the song as follows:

Fucking high and free, my man. yeah, thats the ticket, an otherworldly endorsement of our animist/pagan far left revolutionary nature trip. fucking hippy.

So…there’s that. Give “High And Free” a listen. Watch out for dinosaurs.

[Myspace]

Concert Review: Julie Doiron @ Cake Shop, April 24th, 2009

Julie Doiron at Cake Shop
(Photos courtesy Nikki Ross)

Julie Doiron - Borrowed Minivans

Let’s face it — we love, love, love women who sound like Julie Doiron. From Moon Pix-era Chan Marshall, to PJ Harvey circa 2004’s Uh Huh Her, to Wye Oak’s feedback-fondling Jenn Wassner. And, in case you hadn’t noticed, The Pop Filter really likes these artists. Which is not to say Doiron sings with a similar sense of urgency or, in Harvey’s case, a penetrating obtuseness, but rather with a vocal clarity/subtle airness in higher registers bound to elicit drawn-out, contented sighs from listeners the likes of you and me (you know who you are).

And for the record, no, Julie Doiron isn’t pop. Or rock. Or indie (whatever that means today). She’s a musician who manages to convey more sincerity with three chords and a drum kit than most accomplish with instrumentation numbering in the double digits — a feat, I find, warranting considerable praise. Rawkblog recently classified Doiron’s I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day as “a Kimya Dawson record for adults,” which I agree with in most respects. Real music about real feelings played without agenda. These are skillfully crafted songs. Structurally. Contextually. In aim and execution. And they’re good.

Additional photos after the jump.

> > > Continue Reading Julie Doiron @ Cake Shop, April 24th, 2009

What Do You Do With A B.A. In English?

Real Estate - Beach Comber

Oh, yes, dear English graduate — you, too, can fill surveys for a living. The Facebook sayeth so.

Have heard this song quite frequently since Real Estate opened for Wavves at Mercury Lounge. Suffice it to say they show real promise.

[Myspace]

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Blames It On The Blues

Ma Rainey - Blame It On The Blues

Fact: Certain blues songs should only be experienced at high volumes. Like this one.

“Blame It On The Blues,” however, remains unique due to the complete lack of non-melodic percussion one would expect from a song falling into the aforementioned category. For three glorious minutes, Ma Rainey endures without hand claps, without foot stomps, washboards, or chain-rustle.

In this case, the volume is for Rainey’s voice, for when she moans the word “Lord” on the heels of the first verse. That restraint in her vibrato — you can hear the hung head, the clenched fists, bared gums, curled lips, all in that one word. And when you hear it loudly, “Lord,” when the impact of her resignation finds itself magnified by the current of sonic pressure flowing from your speakers, it’s enough to kill. Not maim, not stun; kill. Enough to make you loll your head from side to side like an invalid and think, “This is it.”

Shoulders slumped. Lids lowered. A lifetime of weariness in one little word.

[Buy Ma Rainey]